He Needs A Father
by xx Something Blue xx
Summary: After Roger leaves, David realizes just how alone he is in the world. Barnabas Collins / David Collins. Based on the 2012 Tim Burton movie.
1. Chapter 1

Collinwood, Maine. 1972. 11:30pm

David sat in his room, crying harshly into the plastic of his favorite purple events of the day had been to much for how he couldn't believe that his Dad, Roger, had just walked out on them like that. That the one person he still had in his life, just left. Other than the ghost of his mother, of course, but that's different to him. She wasn't physical. Just an image that he has. She was all he had left. The thought of him being an orphan sickened him to the point he actually did feel nauseas. He looked up, and his mother 'sat' on his bed, where he was sitting in the middle of his floor. He felt his face was slightly green.

"Shh, just breath, sweetheart," she tried to soothe him. He nodded, still feeling a bit sick.

"How- How could he just leave us?" he stammered through the choking sounds that his voice made.

"Oh dear, he had to leave. I think you're going to be better off without him, anyway," she said, realizing she probably just should have kept her mouth shut. He glared at her angrily.

"Mom,how could you say that!" He accused. She was taken aback a bit at his remark.

"David, you don't know what he's done," she tried to come up with a better excuse. He looked at her, confused.

"I don't care what he did! He's my dad, and I just want him back!" David cried.

"Sweetie, you're too young to-" she was interrupted sharply by him.

"too young to what? Understand? That's what they all say around here!" he almost yelled. She moved back a bit at his outburst. He turned away from her, and shook his head, crying again. Taking that as he queue to leave, she evaporated in the air, and disappeared from his room. He continued to sit in the middle of the floor, staring at the carpet.

Underneath him, he heard the footsteps of either Elizabeth or Vicky coming to check on him. Wanting to be left alone, he opened the one secret door in his room, and ran down the thin corridor to one of the many secret rooms in Collinwood.

At the late hour, Barnabas was doing his usual. Walking about his luxurious home. He was somewhere deep within the mansion, in the wing that Elizabeth had said they had closed off. He was a bit annoyed at all the dust and undesirable contents that had built up on the walls and cracks in them. He dragged on of his impossibly long fingers against the brick, and was quite disappointed at how much filth had accumulated onto his finger. Then he remembered that no one had been in here for several years.

Suddenly, he heard a soft thumping coming from inside the walls. Curiously, he pressed his ear against the wall, and listened, figuring something... Or someone... Was in one of the inner corridor. He remembered when he was a boy, and nearly got lost in those hallways. He chuckled to himself at the recollection. Through his quick memory, he heard an inner door open, and then snap shut quickly.

Curious as to whom might be in the walls, he walked down the hallway to the one of the rooms they let out into. He, for some unknown reason, rolled up his cotton shirt to a little below his elbow, and loosened the buttons on his vest, and continued down the hallway, listening to the gentle thumping of his feet and walking stick as they each hit the floor.

Stopping at the door,to which he guessed held whoever was in there, it's knob was suspiciously not covered in anything dirty, he opened the door slowly and stuck his head inside, not expecting to see what was before his eyes.

In the room Barnabas looked into, was a small chest, that was locked, however he didn't recognize it, and sitting next to it was young David. A small plastic dinosaur lay on its side next to him. His head was in his hands, and Barnabas could see tears leaking out from under his hands and spilling onto his trousers. Barnabas looked at him with sympathy, and opened the door more, standing in the door way. A moment later, David looked up and saw Barnabas.

Before he could speak, David thought about how Barnabas had saved him from the falling mirror ball just an hour before. He tried to figure out what happened exactly, but it didn't make any sense to him. Slowly, David backed up against the chest. Barnabas tensed a little, hoping David was not afraid of him.

"Master David?" Barnabas greeted, or asked. David couldn't tell, or care really. He looked down at his knees.

"Yes, Uncle Barnabas?" he replied softly. Barnabas looked around the room, and then stepped inside, and walked over to his bed, where he looked down at him.

"A question, if I may?" Barnabas asked softly, holding his walking stick against his side.

"Sure," David replied dryly.

"How many of the secret rooms do you know about?" Barnabas asked. It surprised David, that he was not asking about his father. David took a moment to think about it, gladly accepted the change of subject.

"All of them, by now I bet. Including the one where all that gold and jewelry is," David admitted. Barnabas was surprised.

"And you never told your father, or Elizabeth?" Barnabas asked. David shook his head.

"My mom told me not to," he explained. Barnabas nodded slowly, and David continued to speak.

"I'm not crazy, if that's what you're thinking. I can actually see her," David defended himself. Barnabas looked at him.

"Young man, I never thought once on the subject. Just because you have a special gift that most don't does not make you mad. It makes you unique," Barnabas soothed him. He felt a little better, and stood to sit on the chest. Barnabas walked closer to him, and stood in front of him.

"Can I ask you a question now, Uncle Barnabas?" David asked him after a moment of silence.

"Of course, Master David," He approved immediately.

"Wh-What are you?" he stammered. Barnabas shifted his weight to his other foot, taken aback at the sort of question. David looked up at him, then back down in the same instant, hoping he had not asked to much of him. There was another moment of silence as Barnabas was thinking how to answer him. He said nothing.

"You can't be human can you..." David accused slowly. Barnabas looked at him again, and for once, David felt genuine fear for reasons he did not know.

"You are correct David. I'm not human, I'm a vampire," Barnabas blurted out without thinking. Immediately, he regretted it. David's face turned white, but his fear dwindled, and then faded into nothing. He looked up at Barnabas, this time looking at all his features. His jet black hair was slightly askew, but not to the point it needed to be combed, and he saw just how noticed the black circles around his eyes were, especially in the light of the lamp that was on. David looked into his eyes, and they were filled with worry and sympathy, something David had never seen in the vampires eyes. Suddenly, he felt like he could tell Barnabas anything at all.

Barnabas looked at the boy, and felt him squeeze into a special place in his cold, non-beating heart. The grip on the ivory top on his walking stick tightened, and the ivory squeaked in protest under his fingers.

After a few minutes of silence, David could not help but have a single question come to his mind.

"Why did he leave?" David asked, trying hard not to burst into tears again. Barnabas swallowed hard, and before he could say anything, David spoke again.

"And if you say I'm too young to understand, you're wrong. I understand plenty," David warned. Barnabas sighed.

"David, your father was not being... A good person," Barnabas explained as best as he could, and turned around so his back was facing away from the boy. David looked down at his hands and sighed.

"Do you think it has something to do with all the women he had over all the time?" David asked. Barnabas's eyes widened.

"What?" he gasped an turned around. David nodded.

"He would always have me keep the rest of the family out of his bedroom, and after he came out he would explain they were only talking business. It was very strange," David explained to him. Barnabas felt his free hand ball into a fist, and looked at David square into the eyes.

"You will not understand yet, David, but it was best for your father to leave," Barnabas growled. He wondered just how anyone could act so bad towards a nine year old boy. David looked down, and a few tears slid down his cheek. Barnabas looked at him curiously, and moved to sit down next to him.

"Young man, whatever is the matter?" Barnabas asked softly, thinking that he was making David feel better, but he guessed not. David sighed.

"I don't have anything anymore. Not my mom, not my dad. I'm an orphan," David sobbed. Barnabas widened his eyes a bit.

"David, you don't have nothing. You have Elizabeth, and Carolyn... And myself," it made David shiver the way he said Carolyn's name, and it surprised David that he mentioned himself. Without thinking, he rested his head against Barnabas' shoulder. Surprised, but not phased by it, he set his free hand on the boys back, and rubbed it softly.

"I just want a father, Uncle Barnabas," the boy sobbed. Barnabas sighed.

"I know David, I know."

**A/N. I know, this ending is a little abrupt, but I didn't know anyway else to end it. If you have any better ideas, leave it in a review, or PM it. Btw..  
Review? Please? :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N. *clears throat* I'M SORRY! I haven't been writing :( but that's over now. Here be chapter two of "He Needs A Father". The first half of the chapter is whilst they are building New Collinwood, second being... Well I can't tell you can I *evil grin*. You thought I was going to spoil it! Ahahahaha Well I DIDN'T! Read on :D**

Collinwood Estate, Maine. 1972.

2. New Collinwood

Barnabas stood leaning against the picnic table, looking at the blueprints for the new Collinwood, and he stood there looking it over with the architect as the work crew proceded on the structure at a very fast pace.

"This may seem... Old fashioned... But I want many secret rooms and hallways in Collinwood," Barnabas said dryly. The architect stared at him.

"No one puts secret rooms in houses anymore, Collins," he said. Barnabas glared at him.

"Well, I don't care, do I. I want the secret rooms," He pushed. The architect shrugged.

"Alright. You're paying for it anyway, Collins," he said and walked off. Barnabas continued to look at the blue prints of the mansion, re-drawing some of it with secret rooms and coridoors. After a few minutes of doodling, he looked at the paper, happy with what he saw. Suddenly, behind him footsteps appeared. Swiftly, Barnabas rolled the blue print up and replaced the elastic band around it.

"Uncle Barnabas? What are you doing?" said the sweet and innocent voice of young David. Barnabas turned around.

"I'm gazing at the sketches of the new Collinwood, much like I have been all throughout the day," Barnabas replied smoothly.

"Can I look?" David asked and advanced toward the role of blue paper. Barnabas quickly stepped between him and the picnic table.

"Ah ah, no. It's a surprise," Barnabas grinned after he finished saying surprise, as he drug on the _i _for about two seconds. David looked up at him with puppy eyes.

"Pleeeeeease, uncle Barnabas?" he begged. Barnabas only smiled and chuckled.

"No no, master David. You will have to wait until it's been completed," Barnabas smirked. David dramatically crossed his arms over his chest and fakely pouted.

"Okay, fine," he grumbled, obviously trying not to giggle. Barnabas grinned and took the roles of blue prints inside the half way complete New Collinwood, which looked very closely related to the one that had burned down several months ago.

David followed him, careful to stay out of the way of the working men, and stay a ways behind him. Barnabas had, foolishly, set the stack of blue prints down, and walked in a different direction. David smirked and advanced toward the papers, only to be interrupted by Carolyns voice behind him.

"Hey twerp, mom said for me to come get you, we're going back to the house," she said, grabbing his arm and turning him around. He huffed and two things; Not being able to look at the sketches of the house, and the fact that Carolyn had just called him a twerp. Rolling his eyes, he thought of something to say back to her.

"What about uncle Barnabas? Is he coming?" David asked Carolyn. She rolled her eyes.

"Why would I know? I'm not a Barnabas Keeper," she growled. Without another question asked, David willingly followed her out to the car where Elizabeth sat in the drivers seat. Carolyn, obviously, occupied the passenger seat while David scrambled into the back. Elizabeth stepped on the gas pedal of the Chevy and they sped away from the construction toward their rental house in the middle of Collinsport.

Back at the construction area, Barnabas continued to pour over the sketches of his brilliant manor. To focused to realize someone was coming up behind him. Before he could turn around, a thin, cool hand set on his shoulder. He flinched then looked at the finger nails, only to be enchanted with a grin set from ear to ear as he recognized Victoria's nail polish.

"You know he'll get to see those sketches of yours sometime," she smiled and said in her oddly perfect voice.

"Not if I hide them from him, love. I want the rooms to be a surprise to David. Somewhere where he can go alone, but he has to find it first," Barnabas explained. Victoria only rolled her eyes playfully.

"Alright, but he's going to get curious, Barnabas," she warned.

"Exactly! Only makes it more fun for him to descover all 100 secret compartments in the house. Besides, it's almost done, Victoria. We should be able to move in, next month," Barnabas exclaimed. He seemed all to excited for this. Quickly, Victoria rolled up the blue piece of paper.

"We're done for today. How about we go back to the house, hm?" she hummed. Barnabas nodded, and they walked down into Collinsport, arms linked, under an umbrella to shield them from the sun.

In the house Elizabeth had rented, that was way to small for Barnabas' liking, Elizabeth and Carolyn buzzed around the kitchen, making dinner. Willy sat at the dining room table, drinking from his flask and reading a newspaper. David sat in the living room with one of his plastic dinosaurs, and Barnabas and Victoria walked into the house, their arms still linked.

"Ah Barnabas, Vicky. I was wondering when you two were going to get back," Elizabeth said, looking down at the vegetables she washed in the sink. Before either Barnabas or Victoria could speak, she continued.

"When should we be able to move in? I'm getting tired of paying rent for this house," Elizabeth rambled.

"By the end of this month," Barnabas replied proudly. Elizabeth smiled her wicked, yet suiting to her, grin.

"Finally! It's been so long," she replied, and went back to her meal. Victoria wandered off into her room, while Barnabas went into the living room, sitting down in the chair, swinging his walking stick to keep his hands busy while he watched David play with his toy dinosaurs. A smile tugged at the corner of the vampires mouth, and suddenly, he couldn't wait to see the childs face the first time he found one of the secret rooms.

Barnabas, Victoria, Elizabeth, and David all looked around in awe at the nearly complete house, only watching the last worker paint the final room; The kitchen. Elizabeth smiled brightly as she and Victoria helped everyone bring their bags and some personal furniture in. Carolyn came inside, oddly as a werewolf, it made Barnabas shudder, but she was carrying all her bags, and her chair she hung from the ceiling as she bounced up the stairs to her new room, grumbling all the way up. David grabbed his suit case and made his way up the stairs as well, going the opposite direction down the hall toward his room. Barnabas had it specially designed, just for him, to have 3 hidden doors in the boy's special room.

David entered his room, looking around and gaping at it's size. His bed, complete with the cobalt blue bed comforter, was made just the way he likes it, and it even had a chest in the corner next to his closet. Smiling, he unpacked quickly, hanging up all his shirts, pants, sweaters and other various clothing items.

After he was done putting his toys in the chest, and started hanging his clothes up in the closet, he found a note taped to the far side of the closet. It had a very distict penmenship written. It read:

_Master David,  
I took the liberty of adding all the secret rooms that were in the old Collinwood, however, there are a few more, and, are all in different locations. I'll only tell you that there are 100 total, which includes only rooms. There are many hallways as well. Goodluck, Master David.  
-Barnabas Collins. _

David grinned widely.

"So that's why he didn't want me to see the original sketches," David muttered to himself. Looking around the closet to try to get any clue of where to start, a small, brass, doorknob caught his attention, along with matching hinges to go along with it. He stepped toward it, ducking under the hanging clothes he had just put up, and turned the door knob, thankful it wasn't locked. On the back of the note was blank, and David decided he could use that to mark where he has and hasn't been. When he stepped through the door into a hallway, he took a pen and marked a "1" on the wall, and did the same thing on the piece of paper. David continued to walk down the hallway.


End file.
